Carol Knight & Meg Mazzocchi
have enjoyed sharing
the magical world of toys with
our community for 35 years.

We know toys, we know children
and now we know your children’s children.

Join in the Fun!

Wood River Middle School language arts teacher Ginger Rierden is shown with sixth-grade students, from
left, Eva Grover, Sascha Leidecker and Kate Stone. Rierden received an “accolade” from another student, Emma Madsen, that
was presented at the February regular meeting of the Blaine County School District board of trustees. Madsen praised Rierden
in the accolade for helping her find her “voice” and her “whole true self” through writing. Express photos by Roland Lane

In schools, women
are key role models
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March 31, 2014

CRISIS HOTLINE
Congratulations to all our valley women
who empower us and encourage us to dream big.
Thank you to the hundreds of
local women who have volunteered for the
Crisis Hotline during the past 27 years.
When you don’t know where to turn –call us.
A trained volunteer is available right now to
listen, provide comfort and referrals.

208-788-3596
Anonymous and confidential
for your comfort and security.

he presentation of “accolades” is featured at every
regular meeting of the
Blaine County School District
board of trustees. The accolades,
in written form, are read aloud,
typically by the district superintendent, to recognize the achievements, dedication or excellence of
district staff or even outsiders who
have contributed to the success of
the district and its students.
Many of the accolades are
written to teachers, and certain
themes emerge in those testimonials that reveal the traits that make a
teacher successful. Dedication and
commitment are consistent themes,
as is the willingness to go beyond
the mere job responsibilities to help
students succeed. Another attribute
that stands out is the trait of caring
on the part of a teacher—genuinely
caring about a student’s success in
school and a student’s well-being
and happiness overall. Some accolades even acknowledge how a
teacher changed a student’s life.
One of the most recent accolades, presented at the March 11
school board meeting, was written
to Carey Public School Principal
John Peck about high school math
teacher Elizabeth Young.
“Ms. Young opens her classroom to the kids not only with
the door, but with the invitation
and encouragement to come in
and learn,” wrote Carey resident
Shawna Parke. “She has spent
countless hours with my daughter, her classmates, my other four
children previously, along with I
don’t even know how many other
hundreds of students that have
been a part of her classes.
“She spends the extra time
needed—way more than what is
required hourly—as a teacher,”
Parke wrote. “She never makes her

students feel that they are incapable
of ‘getting it,’ but does everything
she can to instill conﬁdence in their
abilities. She never makes them feel
like they are a burden for taking up
too much of her time or that she
has better places to be.”
Young has been a math teacher
for 30 years, which she describes
on the Carey School website as
3x+10=100.
Parke wrote that she hopes that
Young stays at Carey school at
least another three years so that
her daughter can continue to learn
from her.

“The girl didn’t
know how
to thank the
teacher, for the
teacher had
changed her life,
helped discover
the girl’s true
self and she
was utterly
thankful.”
Emma Madsen
Teacher

“Much thanks, you have a
wonderful and amazing teacher in
your midst,” Parke concluded.
The trait of genuinely caring
about students is also reﬂected in a
Nov. 12, 2013, accolade written by
interim Superintendent John Blackman regarding Woodside Elementary School art teacher Joni Cashman, who was recently named

Idaho Elementary Art Teacher of
the Year by the Idaho Art Education Association.
“Joni is the consummate professional who always puts the whole
of herself into any and all endeavors she undertakes,” Blackman
wrote. “She is a person who consistently challenges herself through the
acquisition of knowledge and new
experiences, which she so passionately imparts to all of her students.
“I have never seen her make
a decision that was not student
centered,” Blackman continued.
“She has always jumped in and
gone beyond the call of duty for the
kids and her colleagues. It is safe
to say that Joni Cashman ranks
amongst the very best educators I
have had the privilege to know and
work with over the 30 years I have
spent in education.”

Heroes
Sometimes
teachers
are
described as heroes, such as in an
accolade written by Hailey residents Stephanie and Joe Flora and
presented to the school board on
May 14, 2013. The Floras describe
the teachers and staff at Woodside
Elementary School as “amazing
heroes to all the kids,” speciﬁcally
mentioning the dedication of ﬁrstgrade teacher Amy Sauvageau and
fourth-grade teacher Katherine
Oliver. The Floras note how much
better their sons are doing in school
since the family moved from Twin
Falls to the Wood River Valley.
“Carson got an amazing teacher,
Mrs. Sauvageau, for kindergarten
and now for ﬁrst grade,” the Floras
wrote. “He just adores her, as do
we. She does a great job teaching
the little ones while having fun and
making wonderful memories along
the way.”
See TEACHERS, next page

Express



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

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

S3

TEACHERS
Continued from previous page

The Floras wrote in the accolade that their son AJ was struggling in
school until he was placed in Oliver’s class, when AJ did a “180” in his
studies.
“He really loves the way Mrs. Oliver teaches and cares,” the Floras
wrote. “He retains the information that she puts out and wants to learn
more. He comes home and does his homework without being told 20
times. His grades have improved dramatically and Mrs. Oliver says he
participates in class.”
Sometimes in schools, the act of being a teacher can be applied to staff
members who aren’t ofﬁcially teachers. Such is the case with Bellevue
Elementary School special-education paraprofessionals Debbie London
and Chandra Barney. The two of them are praised in an Oct. 8, 2013,
accolade written by district Curriculum Director Angie Martinez, who
previously served as Bellevue principal.
“Debbie and Chandra welcome students to a focused learning environment that encourages
the achievement of goals,”
Martinez wrote, “They
mentor those students and
compel them to be their best
academically and socially
by living the seven habits as
learned through the Leader
in Me [program]. They
truly invest themselves in
helping these students learn
and grow.”
Martinez further points
out that London and Barney
are successful in teaching
because they “care” about
the success and well-being
of the students.

Thank you

Morgan, Heather, and Kathy
for making Sturtos Hailey an immense success and being a big
reason we are the friendliest Neighborhood sporting goods Store!

Life changer
Wood River Middle School
language
arts
teacher
Ginger Rierden has had
more than one accolade
Woodside Elementary School fourthwritten about her. The most
grade teacher Katherine Oliver was
recent, presented to the
described as an “amazing hero” in an accolade
school board on Feb. 11,
written by Hailey residents Stephanie and Joe
was written by sixth-grade
Flora.
teacher Emma Madsen,
who described how Rierden
“changed her life” by helping her discover her true self through writing.
Madsen describes in the accolade that she lacked conﬁdence in her
abilities, particularly at writing, but that Rierden helped her ﬁnd her voice
and discover “an important piece of herself.”
Much of the accolade is written by Madsen describing herself in third
voice.
“The girl didn’t know how to thank the teacher, for the teacher had
changed her life, helped discover the girl’s true self and she was utterly
thankful,” Madsen wrote.
“So here I am writing this story, and I hope this was a good enough
thank you; because I know that no matter what I won’t be able to thank
you enough.”

“She (Elizabeth Young) spends
the extra time needed—
way more than what is required
hourly—as a teacher.”

Women On The Move!
“I feel we are
headed in the
right direction,
and I feel good
about it.”

Mountain Rides recognizes the
women of Mountain Rides and their
contribution to our success!

www.mountainrides.org or call 208.788.RIDE (7433)
Ketchum Mayor Nina Jonas takes a break from work at Rickshaw restaurant in Ketchum, which she and her husband
operate together. Express photo by Willy Cook

etchum Mayor Nina Jonas
has been voted by readers
of the Idaho Mountain
Express as the Wood River Valley’s
Woman of the Year.
The other two ﬁnalists were
Willa McLaughlin, a service-unit
director for the Girl Scouts, and
Debra Hall, a real estate broker.
“It’s a surprise to win,” Jonas
said. “I’m kind of shocked, but I’m
humbled and it’s an honor.”
Jonas, 41, served one term on
the Ketchum City Council before
easily defeating incumbent Mayor
Randy Hall by an 851-429 margin
in city elections last November.
Since her win, Jonas said she is
happy with the job she’s done thus
far, and is more conscious of her
actions on a day-to-day basis.
“When it comes down to the
fact that I’m the ﬁrst female mayor

of Ketchum, I consider myself
somewhat of a role model,” Jonas
said. “When people introduce me
to their kids, then it strikes me as,
‘Oh yeah, I guess I’m the mayor.’
What I do speaks to the community, so I’m very conscious of my
behavior and my actions.”
As the mayor, Jonas said she
is trying to implement changes to
better serve the local community.
“I want to change the culture in
City Hall to create a more strategic-type of thinking,” Jonas said.
“I want to see that projects and
ideas that come to City Hall don’t
just get acted on individually, but
are acted on in [tandem] with
what else we’re doing so it’s efﬁcient and effective.”
Jonas said she appreciates that
so many citizens want to help
with the city’s issues, ranging from

energy efﬁciency to creating a
healthy year-round economy, and
emphasized the importance of her
interactions with other people.
“This is a people job,” Jonas
said. “We do have city assets that
we manage but it’s really about the
interactions and serving the public.
I want to create a very serviceoriented City Hall. I feel we are
headed in that direction, and I feel
good about it.”
Jonas, who grew up in Ketchum,
graduated from Smith College in
Massachusetts with degrees in
art history and economic development. She also spent a year at the
London College of Economics.
Before pursuing her collegiate
education, Jonas spent a year in
various African countries including Kenya, Zimbabwe, Rwanda,
See JONAS, next page

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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

S5

Help us f i ght back against cancer!

Continued from previous page

Tanzania, South Africa and Libya.
Jonas called the experience â&#x20AC;&#x153;the
most informative undertaking Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve
ever had.â&#x20AC;?
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think I was young enough
that the experience got to me,â&#x20AC;?
Jonas said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The experience
wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t analytical so much as it was
absorbed. I got to see how the rest
of the world lives, how they are
able to laugh and still have joy even
though their days are centered on
getting water.â&#x20AC;?
Jonas is co-owner of Rickshaw
restaurant in Ketchum with her
husband Andreas Heaphy. With
her experience as a small-business
owner, Jonas said her work at the
Asian-cuisine establishment has
done more to prepare her for a
career in politics than her time in
school.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rickshaw prepared me more
for politics than my education
because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m dealing with people
all the time, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immediate
problem-solving,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you
donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t solve a problem right away,
then it explodes. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s toughened
me up, too, as I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take things
personally and just try to solve the
problem.â&#x20AC;?
She also said that her experiences as a small-business owner
have ďŹ guratively made her develop
skin as thick as a rhinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;she
doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let issues bother her unless
she feels like she could have done a
better job.
With Jonas handling the business side of Rickshaw, her husband
works as the head chef, with both
bringing skills to the business that
complement one-another. Heaphy
graduated from the Portland Culinary Institute in Portland, Ore.,
and used to work as a chef at China
Pepper restaurant for Hall, who
was a restaurant owner before he
became mayor.
Rickshaw has been in business
since 2005, and Jonas plans on
having a 10th anniversary celebration in 2015. When the restaurant
was ďŹ rst opened, it was intended
more to make experimental food
for packaging before Jonas said it
â&#x20AC;&#x153;blew up into a restaurant.â&#x20AC;?
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worked out really well for
us,â&#x20AC;? Jonas said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a food artist.
He loves food, and he canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get
enough of it. Because we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do
each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jobs, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not much
nitpicking. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s helpful to work
together so I can see him.â&#x20AC;?
Jonas said the restaurant had a
more successful month of January
than anticipated, and is happy with
the business.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think people really identify
with Andreasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; passion for food,â&#x20AC;?
she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has always been
attracted to Asian food, since there
are a lot of bright ďŹ&#x201A;avors. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a
lot of prep work in Asian food but
when it comes to cooking itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right
down to the moment.â&#x20AC;?
Looking back, Jonas is amazed
at how quickly the last decade has
passed.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;These 10 years feel like theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve
ďŹ&#x201A;own by,â&#x20AC;? Jonas said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One thing
I worry about is being too busy
having two jobs. Maximizing
your day like that makes time ďŹ&#x201A;y
by. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to look back 20
years from now and say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What
just happened?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; which is how I feel
about the past ďŹ ve years.â&#x20AC;?
Jonas met Heaphy while they
lived together as housemates in
Ketchum, and later moved to San
Diego together. The two have been
married for six years after being in
a relationship for six years before
tying the knot.
Jonas said she and her husband
do some activities on their own
and some together. While Heaphy
enjoys mountain biking and ďŹ shing
largely on his own, Jonas enjoys
hiking with her dog Arby, a red
and white border collie. Ttogether,
they enjoy skiing and scuba diving
while on vacation.
With an extremely busy schedule, Jonas said there are a few
things she wishes she could do if
she had more free time.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would like to do more yoga
and learn a language,â&#x20AC;? she said.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;My mom is Danish, so I want to
use my Rosetta Stone program to
learn Danish. You have to do it
every day though to reap the full
beneďŹ ts. I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier to make
time for something big like a vacation than for something smaller
much more continuously.â&#x20AC;?
As for her future political
career, Jonas said she is unsure of
how long she would like to serve
as Ketchumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mayor, but hopes to
leave the city in great shape long
after sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ nished serving.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would like to leave a really
strong staff that has a strategy
and a way to move efďŹ ciently and
remains apolitical to work with a
new elected body,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d
like to get more economic initiatives in place like broadband Internet and a hotel. Also, I want us to
do some sustainable initiatives in
water and energy. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in position to be an example community
for others because everyone wants
to help.â&#x20AC;?

Come see us to make your contribution!
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WKLVLVDYDOXH
)5((ZKHQ\RXPDNHDPLQLPXPGRQDWLRQ
WREHGRQDWHGWR5HOD\IRU/LIH
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he giving spirit of the Wood River Valley is
evident in the number of nonproﬁt organizations whose work beneﬁts people, animals and
the land around us. Many of the organizations are
directed by women. Below, meet four of the valley’s
women who work diligently to make a difference in
the world.

Jeanne Liston
Feeding the Hungry

Jeanne Liston sorts through food at the Hunger Coalition headquarters.

Back in 2003, then-valley resident Tom Iselin
brought to light the disturbing fact that even in upscale
Blaine County many families could not afford the food
they needed to thrive.
Kansas City native Jeanne Liston was at the ﬁrst
meeting of the Blaine County Hunger Coalition,
which was formed to gather groceries and donations
to ﬁll food boxes for a collection of county agencies
charged with feeding the hungry.
Today, Liston serves as executive director of the
organization, overseeing a team of 150 volunteers
dedicated to making sure that no one in the county
goes a single day without proper nutrition.
“This is a fulﬁlling job because I am making a
difference in peoples’ lives,” Liston said. “We are all
here for the right reasons.”
Liston studied French and art history at Benedictine College before working and traveling in Europe,
Africa and Asia. While motorcycling through the
Lybian desert, she encountered a group of people that
would change her life and set her on a career that
would involve social justice.
The motorcycle broke down near an oasis, and
before she and her partner hitch-hiked back to the city,

she got to know the locals.
“These were people who had so little, yet they
wanted to give you everything they had,” she said.
“When I returned to the United States, I struggled to
understand why we had people homeless and hungry
on our city streets.”
Back in Kansas, Liston heard a lecture by Father
Joe Langford about his time working with Mother
Teresa to help the needy in the slums of India. The talk
inspired Liston to join Langford’s Human Development Foundation, working in Bangkok, Thailand, to
support street kids and AIDS patients.
“It was incredibly challenging, but also very
rewarding work,” Liston said, while taking a short
break from running the Hunger Coalition at newly
expanded ofﬁces in Bellevue. She became a board
member in 2005, and the ﬁrst paid staff member in
2007, just in time for an explosion in the community’s
need for food donations.
“By October of 2008, there were lines of people
around our building. They were hungry and scared,”
Liston said.
She and her board spearheaded fundraising efforts
and hired staff, eventually establishing the food lockers, mobile food bank vans and the communitymanaged Hope Garden that the Hunger Coalition is
known for today.
Hunger coalition services are entirely conﬁdential
and not afﬁliated with the government.
Last year the Hunger Coalition used about
$680,000 in private and public donations to serve
2,303 individual clients in need. But Liston said her
work is far from over.
See NONPROFITS, next page

Express photo by Roland Lane

SALUTING THE WOMEN WHO LEAD
THE CITY OF KETCHUM
We are proud to recognize Ketchum’s first woman mayor and the
women who head more than half the city departments. Women lead the
departments responsible for recreational programs for your children,
the safety of your drinking water, new hotels and development, the city’s
finances and much more. We appreciate their contributions toward
making Ketchum a better place for all of us.

“There were a record number of tion and proud of our community,”
people waiting in line in Bellevue Dixon said. “We are connecting
last month, about 67 families,” she people with animals and changing
said. Liston said the increase could lives.”
Dixon, a native of Toronto,
be due to recent cuts to the federal
Food Stamp program, and the was completing her veterinarian
decision in December to not extend studies many years ago at the Sun
Valley Animal Center when her
unemployment beneﬁts.
“Some people don’t come to us father died, leaving her mother
because they think other need help despondent.
“She really didn’t have a reason
more than they do.” Said Liston.
to get out of bed
“We know that we
anymore,”
said
are not meeting
Dixon, who found
the need that is out
an animal shelter dog
there.”
to keep her company.
Liston has served
“All of a sudden my
on the Idaho Food
mother was up and
Bank board of direcdoing things and
tors, and now serves
seeing friends. It
on the board of the
was quite a healing
Idaho Hunger Relief
process.”
Task Force. These
JoAnne Dixon
Dixon worked
posts have made her
Animal Shelter of the
in a private veteriespecially thankful
Wood River Valley
nary practice for 10
for the generosity of
years, often with
Wood River Valley
residents in facing the problem of pampered pets, before taking on
the responsibility of running the
hunger in our community.
“This community is incredibly Wood River Valley shelter in 2006.
generous. While other food banks She was pregnant with twins at the
in Idaho were cutting back on time and thought the new position
hours and resources, this commu- tending to homeless animals would
nity was increasingly responsive to provide a less demanding schedule.
“I had no idea what I was
its needs,” she said.
getting into,” said Dixon, who now
spays and neuters for free about
Caring for animals
400 animals each year, conducts
and people
surgeries, oversees animal trainVeterinarian JoAnne Dixon ings and assessments, and provides
serves as executive director and adoption counseling for potential
medical director of the “no kill” pet owners.
Animal Shelter of the Wood River
The Animal Shelter of the Wood
Valley near Hailey, which adopts River Valley became in 1997 the
out about 400 pets each year to ﬁrst one in Idaho to not euthanize
grateful owners.
homeless animals, later offering
After a ﬁreﬁghter helped save free spay and neutering clinics to
the shelter from a massive wildﬁre get animal populations in control,
that swept through Croy Canyon while pursuing an aggressive adoplast summer, he returned to adopt tion program.
a Labrador puppy.
Dixon and her staff and team of
When a pit bull and her litter of volunteers de-worm, vaccinate and
puppies were “dumped” in Gimlet, implant microchip location devices
south of Ketchum, the shelter took in all the cats and dogs brought to
them in and adopted them out.
See NONPROFITS, Page S8
“I am proud of our organiza-



INE

Continued from previous page

www.mtexpress.com

AZ

NONPROFITS



G

JoAnne Dixon comforts one of the dogs at the Animal Shelter of the Wood
River Valley. Express photo by Roland Lane

FIGHTING FOR THE HEALTHIEST GENERATION.
Planned Parenthood has a community outreach
educator in the Wood River Valley. Call for information
about our classes and family programs.
Katie Nosworthy
208.309.1079
katherine.nosworthy@ppgnw.org

the shelter. They also prepare them
for a new life.
“We are basically animal social
workers,” she said. “Every pet
has a history, but we don’t always
know what it is. We have to ask the
question, ‘What are the barriers to
adoption?’”
She said if a dog is shy, they
might put treats in a can hung from
the gate when they walk by, in order
to draw the dog into closer contact
with people. If the animal barks
too much, it may be trained to keep
quieter. Dogs that are “ball crazy”
often make excellent service dogs.
“It’s all about learning to
market one’s self better,” Dixon
said. “But if a new owner does
not work out we have an adoption
guarantee. I call it the Nordstrom
return policy.”
Dixon networks with animal
shelters around the country,
providing dogs to a juvenile detention center for young people to
practice responsibility and compassion, and to would-be pet owners
who browse the online Pet Finder
site to ﬁnd the right breed and
temperament.
“A great Pyrenees pup left
town on a private jet to California. Another woman found a labradoodle for a friend in town, after
the dog got lost on a hike and they
found one another,” Dixon said.
“Dogs don’t care if they live in a
fancy house, as long as they are with
you and their basic needs are met.”
Now that the Animal Shelter of
the Wood River Valley has become
known as a successful no-kill shelter, Dixon said she and her staff
are able to take dogs and cats from
other areas where they would likely
be euthanized, and then adopt
them out to new owners.
She said the shelter’s $1 million
annual budget is “almost entirely”
paid by private contributions.
“Nonproﬁts don’t invent themselves,” Dixon said. “We ﬁll a need
that the private sector does not ﬁll.
You cannot have a compassionate
community, and a shelter that kills
animals.”

Carolyn Nystrom takes a break from her work at the Hospice & Palliative Care
of the Wood River Valley in Ketchum. Express photo by Roland Lane

“This is a fulfilling
job because I am
making a difference
in peoples’ lives.”
Jeanne Liston
Hunger Coalition

Peggy Goldwyn

STONE HAVEN
“Land of the Ancient Ones”

Bev and Gary Stone, Owners
Canyon land between Shoshone Falls and the Twin Falls Falls
Springs, Waterfalls, River Frontage, Ponds
Flat areas for Homesites and Helicopter pad
Perfect for Zip Lines and Cave exploration
Near Evel Knievel Jump Site on the Snake River
Fishing & Horticulture

23.747 Acres

$3,000,000

Congratulations

TO ALL THE
VALLEY WOMEN!

Nina Jonas

NONPROFITS

Debra Hall

Willa McLaughlin

928-SOLD

HallmarkIdahoProperties.com

Helping women
near and far

“Women’s rights and human
rights are one and the same,” said
Family of Woman Film Festival
founder Peggy Goldwyn. “When
there is true equality, we will be
better able to face the big challenges of climate change, poverty
and hunger.”
Goldwyn went to Hollywood
from El Paso, Texas, in the 1960s
to write documentaries, eventually
writing comedy for hit shows such
as “Love American Style,” “The
Dean Martin Show,” “That Girl”
and “Happy Days.”
“I went from serious to funny,”
said Goldwyn, who found that she
was the ﬁrst young woman writer
in television comedy.
In the midst of her successful
career, Goldwyn married movie
mogul Samuel Goldwyn Jr., started
a family, and became involved in
the sort of philanthropic duties one
would expect from a matriarch in a
Hollywood dynasty.
Goldwyn’s
father-in-law,
Samuel Goldwyn Sr., was a
producer during the silent-movie
era, and friends with Averell Harriman, founder of Sun Valley Resort.
“When I had a family of my
own, I became interested in issues
See NONPROFITS, next page

Peggy Goldwyn is the founder of the annual Family of Woman Film Festival.
Express photo by Roland Lane

NONPROFITS
Continued from previous page

facing women and children,” she the county, including pain management services, bereavement support
said.
As vice president of the Samuel and emotional support for families
Goldwyn Foundation, she helped and caregivers—in short, anything
to rebuild the Hollywood Library that would allow families to provide
after a ﬁre, founded a model for dying loved ones at home.
“This is what most people
daycare center in Los Angeles, and
supported after-school programs want,” said Nystrom. “The caring
for under-privileged kids. She also presence of family members is
served as president of the Beverley extremely comforting to a person
who is dying. We work to give
Hills Board of Education.
“My parents grew up during families the conﬁdence to be that
the Depression, so for me it was caring presence.”
Nystrom said 92 percent of the
a privilege to have an education,”
said Goldwyn, who also volunteers people who die in the Wood River
with charitable organizations in Valley avail themselves of hospice
services, compared with 47 percent
the Wood River Valley.
The
organization
Goldwyn was eventually invited nationally.
to join the American board of the serves, on average, 42 people each
United Nations Population Fund day.
One of her clients just needed
(UNFPA), an organization geared
toward providing maternal health someone to feed their horses.
care, family planning and educa- Another wants to play cribbage.
“We have one client who wanted
tional services at points across the
globe. Thus began her many years to learn to play ‘Amazing Grace’ on
of involvement in global women’s the ukulele, and then have a recording of her performance played
rights issues.
“The U.N. is not just a group at her funeral service,” Nystrom
of leaders making resolutions that said. “So we had to look around to
are then vetoed,” Goldwyn said. ﬁnd someone who could teach the
“There are fantastic people on the ukulele.”
Nystrom worked as an emerground doing many wonderful
gency-room
and
things.”
intensive-care nurse
In 2001, she was
before taking time
introduced to United
off from her profesNations
Secretary
sion to raise a family.
General Koﬁ Annan,
She has also worked
who asked her to
on the national
produce a documenboard of the Girl
tary ﬁlm about the
Scouts of America.
plight of internaAbout 35 years ago,
tional refugees. She
she answered a newssoon took on the role
paper advertisement
of promoting the
calling for a volunUNFPA’s
mission
teer
coordinator
through ﬁlm.
position at a hospice
“After all, it is the
in the San Franfamily business,” she
cisco Bay Area. Thus
said.
began her second
The Family of
Peggy Goldwyn
career, which would
Woman Film FestiUNFPA supporter
land her in a graduval has brought
ate school teaching
36
feature-length
ﬁlms to Sun Valley dealing with position in end-of-life care, and a
the status of women throughout few years later at the reins of the
the world. Speakers are brought Hospice & Palliative Care of the
each year by the United Nations Wood River Valley.
Last year, Nystrom received
to participate. They have included
Liberian women who organized a $50,000 Sojourns Award from
to overthrow a dictator, Iraqi girls Cambia Health for her exemplary
who play basketball, and an Amer- service to the Wood River Valley.
The money will be used to support
ican teacher and astronaut.
No awards are given at the festi- the many services that Nystrom
val, but a great deal of network- oversees in the valley, including
ing and education takes place. This the Legacy Project, which brings
year, the Family of Woman Film junior high school students into the
Festival collaborated with Boise homes of hospice patients to interState University, bringing its speak- view elders in order to write the
ers and ﬁlms to a broader audience. stories they would like to pass on
The festival’s ﬁlms are now screen- to future generations.
“They love to tell their stories
ing elsewhere in the country, in
communities that share Goldwyn’s and the kids love writing about
them,” said Nystrom.
passion for women’s rights.
Each year for 25 years, Nystrom
“Education is the key,” said
Goldwyn. “When women and has organized a Hospice Memorial
girls become educated, they often Tree lighting ceremony during the
delay marriage, have less children holidays to honor and remember
and earn money to support their loved ones.
“We now have about 500
families.”
names,” Nystrom said.
Nystrom said since she came to
Tending to the dying
the valley she has seen the commu“Death is the last taboo in nity come together to engage in
America,” said Carolyn Nystrom, end-of-life-care issues.
executive director of the Hospice &
“This is a grassroots, commuPalliative Care of the Wood River nity-based hospice. It is a commuValley in Ketchum. “But talking nity caring for people, instead of
about it can make it less scary. I a government agency,” Nystrom
have seen how fragile life can be, said. “Our good work couldn’t
so I try to live fully each day, to not happen everywhere. We are very
put things off until tomorrow.”
fortunate for the partnerships and
Nystrom and 85 volunteers and collaborative efforts of everyone.
three paid staff members provide
“I love my work. The hardest
free end-of-life support for anyone in thing will be my move to retire.”

“The U.N.
is not just
a group
of leaders
making
resolutions
that are
then
vetoed.”

Ask Us About
Mammogram
Scholarships
When it comes to breast cancer, early detection is the
key to saving lives. Mammography scholarships are
available at St. Luke’s, thanks to philanthropy and the
Idaho Afﬁliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Contact St. Luke’s Wood River Mammogram Scheduling
(208) 727-8238 or 1-800-720-1478

Digital mammography is available!

Carolyn Nystrom

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coffee could be your couch.

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Wednesday, March 19, 2014
WOMEN OF MEDICINE

Dr. Roth would like to
thank his dedicated staff and
congratulate all our Valley Women.

Dr. Charlotte Alexander works in her office near St. Luke’s Wood River hospital.

fter working for 18 years in the Wood River life-and-death issues. In orthopedics, she said, the
Valley, Dr. Charlotte Alexander says she’s outcomes are usually good.
“You’re not dealing with things that can’t be ﬁxed,”
glad she became a hand surgeon rather than
pursuing a career in her other ﬁeld of interest—music. she said. “Orthopedists like to ﬁx things.”
Alexander said she became interested in hand
Aside from having a more ﬁnancially secure profession, Alexander said she feels she has been able to surgery because she was fascinated by the intricacy of
serve her patients, especially women, with an abil- the anatomy.
“You have to not be in a hurry,” she said. “You
ity to communicate that is often lacking in her male
have to like tedious work. But I’m just fascinated by
counterparts.
Of the eight general and orthopedic surgeons listed that sort of thing.”
However, she said, the longer she has practiced, the
in the Wood River Valley Yellow Pages, Alexander is
the only woman. Nationwide, that ratio is even more less she turns to surgery as a solution.
“As you get more experienced in outcomes, you
lopsided. Though women make up about one-third of
the population of doctors in the United States, they start to realize that you’re not going to be able to make
some things better with the things that
comprise only about 4.3 percent of
you learned in your residency,” she
certiﬁed orthopedic surgeons, accordsaid. “You learn that certain kinds of
ing to the American Academy of
patients do better with conservative
Orthopaedic Surgeons.
management.”
That number appears to be on the
Alexander also said that she makes
rise—according to the academy, in
it a point to discuss with her patients
2010, 14 percent of orthopedic resiall of the potential causes of their
dents were women, up from 8 percent
problems.
in 2000.
“Your hand is your connection to
Various people studying the subject
life and to your experiences. I feel that
have attributed the slow emergence of
I spend more time dealing with the
women in the ﬁeld to an inaccurate
perception that the specialty requires Dr. Charlotte Alexander whole patient than do most orthopedic
surgeons.”
strength and to a scarcity of female role
She said she thinks her approach is
models.
“While the need for physical strength may have beneﬁcial to both male and female patients, but that her
played a role decades ago, advances in modern-day willingness to talk is most appreciated by the women.
“That’s what women do!” she said.
medical equipment have shifted the primary requisites
Alexander shares her ofﬁce with her husband, Dr.
from brute strength to manual dexterity, mechanical
ability and an aptitude in three-dimensional visualiza- Herb Alexander, an orthopedist who specializes in
tion,” wrote Dr. Mary O’Conner, chair of the Depart- sports medicine and fractures.
The two met while they were both in residency at
ment of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic, in a
the Oakland Naval Hospital, he as a senior resident,
blog for The Hufﬁngton Post in August 2012.
When Alexander, 61, began her residency, the she in her ﬁrst year. She said their close relationship
numbers were even worse. She said that during her allows them to consult with one another frequently
medical school interviews, she was asked whether she and to refer patients.
“It’s great most of the time,” she said, though she
planned to get married and to have children.
However, she said, she didn’t see herself as a pioneer adds with a laugh, “There are times when we could be
called the Bickersons!”
for women’s rights.
Alexander hasn’t abandoned her interest in music.
“It was odd being a woman in orthopedics,” she
said, “but I just didn’t put that into the equation—I She still sings regularly with the Caritas Chorale, and
said she prefers it as a hobby.
just liked what I was doing.”
“I don’t think I would have enjoyed music so much
She said she chose her ﬁeld partly because she was
turned off by the big egos of many general and cardio- if I had to do it to make a living,” she said.
That’s probably a good thing for Wood River Valley
thoracic surgeons whom she encountered. During her
time in medical school and her residency, she said, the residents as well, who have an attentive and adept local
specialist to turn to when their manual connection to
“orthopods” just seemed like more normal people.
She said she also prefers not having to deal with life isn’t what it used to be.

s “mid-level” medical practitioners,
Nanette Ford—a physician assistant—and Kristen Allen—a nurse
practitioner—say they are able to provide
physician-quality care to most patients at less
cost. And since they’re not part of a corporation, no administrator is telling them how
much time they can spend with each patient.
The two women are partners in a medical clinic in Ketchum. Ford, 58, has worked
in the Wood River Valley for 26 years, and
won the Best Medical Provider award ﬁve
years in a row in the Sun Valley Guide’s Best
of the Valley. Allen, 51, joined the enterprise
two months ago after having worked as a
registered nurse in California for 24 years.
She recently upgraded her status to nurse
practitioner by completing a two-year-long
master’s program.
Though they arrived at their credentials
through different routes, both have about the
same legal capabilities to practice medicine.
In Idaho, they can diagnose patients, treat
them and write drug prescriptions.
They said that with medical-school costs
skyrocketing, graduates can no longer afford
to be general practitioners, and are forced by
ﬁnancial circumstances to become specialists. In many areas, the void is being ﬁlled by
physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, employment of physician assis-

tants is projected to grow 38 percent in the
next 10 years, much faster than the average
for all occupations.
“The lines have really blurred,” Ford said.
“We do about 80 percent of what a physician
would do.”
The clinic’s emphasis on wellness rather
than sickness is reﬂected by a décor with a
somewhat Eastern and Buddhist theme that
promotes relaxation.
“My goal when I started this business was
to have it as nonmedical-looking as possible,” Ford said.
Ford and Allen said they offer “integrative” and “personalized” medicine.
They describe the “integrative” part as
involving mind, body and spirit—a bridge
between Western and Eastern medicine, with
some herbal remedies and advice on lifestyle changes. Those changes, Ford said, can
require a lot of education and counseling.
They say that many of their patients
are wary of the potential side effects from
prescription drugs, and in their ofﬁce, herbal
remedies are often offered as an initial
tactic when appropriate. Ford said they are
usually safer and can often achieve the same
results—but only when they’re pharmaceutical-grade supplements with standardized
ingredients. She said some companies only
sell herbal medicines of that quality through
medical ofﬁces.

Raising Financially
Literate Children
By Mary S¿ngi,
Zions Bank Relationship Manager
The perennial lemonade stand — a favorite childhood pastime and a hallmark of a hot summer day
—is just one way enterprising children can work
to earn a few extra dollars. Whether they are selling lemonade in Dixie cups, doing odd jobs around
the house or working at a retail store, children and
teens can learn important Ƥnancial lessons now
that will last a lifetime.
The task of teaching kids to be Ƥnancially literate, and preparing them to someday be Ƥnancially
independent, is one of the greatest challenges we
face as parents. But for reasons not entirely clear,
many parents Ƥnd money-related topics diƥcult to
broach, admitting they are more comfortable talking about bullying, drugs and relationships than
family Ƥnances or investing, according to the T.
Rowe Price “Parents, Kids and Money” survey.
Some adults may feel that because they fall short
in their own grasp of Ƥnances they are ill-qualiƤed
to impart Ƥnancial lessons to their children. But
the truth is, if we can teach children and teens to
distinguish between needs and wants, and how to
budget and save, they will know more than many
adults. If we get it wrong, however, our children are
likely to join the millions of Americans who rack up
massive credit card debt and get stung each month
by stiơ interest payments.
Since the recession, 8͕ percent of teens say they
are motivated to learn more about managing their
money, according to a Junior Achievement/Allstate
Foundation poll. Likewise, children ages eight to ͕4
are eager to receive Ƥnancial education, particularly
regarding saving and how to make money.
Each spring, bankers get the chance to step out
of the oƥce and into the classroom as part of the
American Bankers Association’s annual National
Teach Children to Save Day. Engaging with gradeschool students on money-related topics, we are always struck by how receptive they are to relatively
advanced concepts such as interest and budgeting.
These children are keen to tackle Ƥnancial topics,
and it is up to us as parents, grandparents, mentors
and educators to not only teach them, but to model
healthy attitudes about money and responsible Ƥnancial behavior.
Kids like to learn about money because they see
the things their parents do with it. They can be very
impressionable, and often pattern money habits
from examples seen at home. The prospect of be-

Allen said conditions treatable with herbal
remedies include high cholesterol, immunesystem deﬁciency, joint problems and menopause, among other things.
But the women don’t shy away from
prescribing traditional drugs when they’re
needed. Sometimes that’s after other attempts
don’t work, and sometimes when it’s obvious
that they’re needed immediately—a bacterial
infection, for example.
“I’m not anti-drug company,” Ford said.
“They’ve saved millions of lives. But I want
to offer choices.”
Ford said the choices she offers patients
have not resulted in a single malpractice suit
over her 26 years of practice.
“I know my limits, I know my boundaries, I know what’s safe,” she said.
The “personalized” part of their practice, they said, involves taking enough time
to analyze all of the potential mind-body-

spirit connections.
“What’s happened with the big corporations is that they’ve lost the personalized
medicine,” Ford said. “None of the headto-toe, the spiritual part of being a patient,
and that’s what we’re able to do here. I think
what people are looking for is to be listened
to. We’ll spend the time listening to what’s
going on.”
That approach seems particularly appreciated by women, who make up about 65
percent of the clinic’s patients. But Allen said
the integrative approach is effective with
“male menopause” issues such as fatigue, and
for athletes who want to improve their performance. Ford said it’s common for women to
be so pleased with the treatment they received
from Ford that they refer their husbands to
her. The clinic also treats children over 4.
“We’re a family practice,” Ford said. “We
get multiple generations of families.”

Some people know her as a
mortgage ofﬁcer but most

ing able to save their money for a special item or
event can help them learn the importance of setting Ƥnancial goals and understanding willpower.
The Ƥnancial future of our nation will soon be
in the hands of our children. They will not only be
managing their own Ƥnances, but taking the reins
as community and business leaders.
We need to do everything we can to prepare
children and teens for the Ƥnancial challenges and
temptations ahead. And it’s never too early to start.
Following are a few examples of potential teaching
moments to help you get started:
At the bank. When you go to the bank, bring your
children with you and show them how transactions
work. Ask the branch manager to explain how the
bank operates, the importance of saving, and how
money generates interest.
On payday. Discuss how your income is budgeted to pay for housing, food and clothing, and how a
portion is saved for future expenses such as college
tuition and retirement.
At the grocery store. Help your children understand what various items cost. Give them a budget
and a shopping list and see how they do. Explain
the beneƤts of comparison shopping, coupons and
store brands.
At the dinner table. Ask your child or grandchild
where various foods come from. The likely response is “the store.” Then ask where the money
to pay for these items comes from.
On family outings. Involve kids in the Ƥnancial
side of planning for a family outing or vacation.
Consider setting aside a Ƥxed amount for things
like snacks, concessions or souvenirs and letting
children and teens help decide how to spend the
allotted funds.
Paying bills. Let children take part in paying the
monthly bills. Explain the many ways that bills can
be paid: over the phone, by check, electronic check
or online check draft. Discuss how each method of
bill pay takes money out of your account. Be sure to
cover late penalties, emphasizing the importance
of paying bills on time.
Using credit cards. Explain that credit cards are
a loan and need to be repaid. Show them how each
month a credit card statement comes in the mail
with a bill. Go over the features of diơerent types of
cards, such as ATM, debit and credit.

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At Zions Bank, we are committed to supporting our community.
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Wednesday, March 19, 2014
WOMEN ON THE STREET

Who has been the most influential woman
in your life (other than your mother)?
Express photos by Willy Cook

“Maxine Uhrig. She was the
kindest woman I have ever
met. She loved her family and
friends more than anything.”
Jennifer Uhrig
Sun Valley Co. director of recreation

“Kaitlyn Farrington, because
she was brought up in God’s
country, Bellevue, Idaho, on a
working ranch. She has all the
local kids ﬁ red up knowing that
they can do anything they want
and the sky is the limit. She
is the inspiration of any small
town.”

“Hands down it would have to be
my Hamilton College Virginia
Wolf Seminar professor that
taught me the beauty of being
an independent, free-thinking
woman. Nowadays, it’s Nina
Jonas … for taking the Ketchum
mayor job.”
Keri Desler
Ketchum wine representative

“Patty Kirk’s mom. She told us
where babies came from in the
sixth grade.”
Suz Locke
Bellevue mom

Cindy Theobald
Lefty’s employee

“My 98-year-old grandmother,
‘Nanny.’ I asked her when she
was going to give up her driver’s
license and she replied, ‘It
doesn’t expire ’til I’m 100.’”

“My high school English teacher,
because she taught me how to
think more deeply.”
Tracy Lee
Cell phone tower developer
Board Ranch

Lola Crist
Board Ranch mom

“Two come to mind. My thirdgrade teacher Marie Wick,
who was at the forefront of
the woman’s lib movement,
who taught us to be strong and
independent women. Secondly,
Larsen Peterson, my son’s
godmother, who convinced me to
move here from Seattle.”
Andi Meucci
Higher Ground ski instructor

“My advisor Kate Greenspan at
Skidmore College was the ﬁ rst
person who recommended that
I write ﬁction by candlelight.
We would drink martinis,
smoke, then read and write. I
have written some of my best
ﬁction by candlelight.”
Kathleen Longe
Ketchum writer

WOMEN LIKE US
MAKE THIS VALLEY
GIVE US YOUR TIME,
GREAT!
WE’LL GIVE YOU PRIDE.
Across Blaine County, Àre departments are in need off
volunteers. In fact, volunteer emergency responders
make up 73% of the Àre service throughout the US.
In addition to frontline ÀreÀghters, many departments
ts
need support staff, too. Whether you’re running into a
burning building, giving CPR, developing a marketingg
campaign, or helping with a fundraiser, it’s likely thatt
your department needs you!
Being a volunteer emergency responder is a
rewarding experience and is a great way to achieve
a sense of accomplishment, all the while having
time to fulÀll your personal goals and professional
aspirations.
To learn more about volunteering in your area,
stop by a local station or visit...